Bottle carrier



G. WfBOH 2,298,191

BOTTLE CARRIER Filed Feb. 7, v 1938 INVENTOR George MZBoh.

ATTORNE Patented Get. 6, 1942 BOTTLE CARRIER George W. Boh, Chattanooga, Tenn., assignor to 0. B. Andrews Company, Chattanooga, Tenn., a corporation of Tennessee 1 Claim.

This invention relates to bottle carriers and more particularly to a novel carrier formed from a blank of sheet material and adapted to contain a plurality of bottles or the like for convenience in displaying and carrying the bottles.

Where bottled goods or other unit goods are sold at retail in relatively small quantities, such as one-half dozen lots, it is desirable to provide an inexpensive and convenient container or carrier for handling and transporting the articles. It is desirable that the container or carrier be made as inexpensive as possible and capable of easy disposal so that the same need not be returned by the purchaser. -It is also desirable that the container or carrier be of such construction that it can be shipped in fiat condition and quickly and easily set up to securely and rigidly retain the bottles for display and transportation.

In accordance with the present invention, the

container or carrier is formed from a single blank of sheet material, such as paperboard or the like.

The blank is suitably cut and scored to provide two similar sections having an intermediate section integral therewith. Each of the sections includes an upper or hanger portion, and a lower l portion adapted to form sockets for the bottles; adjacent the upper end of the carrier and aligned with each of the sockets is a tab adapted to engage the neck of the bottle and retain the bottle in position. One of the side wallportions is provided with a tongue adapted to extend through a corresponding slot of the hanger portion and has finger openings adapted to register with similar finger openings in the other hanger portions when the top is extended through the slot.

An object of the invention is the provision of a simple, light, inexpensive and sturdy carrier for a plurality of bottles or like articles.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a carrier or the like adapted to contain bottles suitably to expose them in an attractive manner for display and at the same time provide a convenient and sturdy carrier.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a compact, economical and easily formed carrier which can be readily set up to receive the contents and in which the contents can be easily inserted and in which the contents are firmly and securely held for display or handling.

Various other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following particular description and from an inspection of the accompanying drawing. I

Application February 7, 1938, Serial No. 189,069

Although the novel features which are believed to be characteristic of this invention will be particularly pointed out in the claim appended hereto, the invention itself, as to its objects and advantages, and the manner in which it may be carried out, may be better understood by referring to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part thereof, in which:

- Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a. blank suitabliy cut and scored to form a carrier in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a carrier formed from a blank similar to that illustrated in Fig. 1 and having a plurality of bottles therein; and

Fig. 3 is a transverse cross-sectional view taken along line 33 of Fig. 2.

In the following description and in the claim, various details will be identified by specific names for convenience, but they are intended to be as generic in their application'as the art will permit. Like reference characters denote like parts in the several figures of the drawing.

In the drawing accompanying and forming part of this specification, certain specific disclosure of the invention is made for purposes of explanation, but it will be understood that the details may be modified in various respects without departure from the broad aspect of the invention.

Referring now particularly to Fig. 1 there is shown a blank 1 suitable for forming a carrier in accordance with the invention. The blank is constructed of suitable sheet material such as paperboard, fibr'eboard or the like. If desired, the blank may'be moisture-proofed in a known manner, and may be colored or decorated.

The blank is provided with transverse fold lines 5, 6 and 1, which may be score lines, whereby to define a pair of hanger panels 8, a pair of top panels 9, a pair of side panels l0 and a single bottom panel ll. Each of the top panels 9 is provided with a plurality of generally ovate perforations l5 adapted to provide seats for the articles as will hereinafter appear.

Each hanger panel 8' is provided with a plurality of tongues l1 cut from the blank I along a cut line l8 and foldable about a fold line 49.

' Each tongue I I is provided with a perforation 20 ,adapted to fit over the neck of a bottle. The tongues I8 correspond in number and location to the perforations IS in the top panel 9 for a Gil purpose hereinafter pointed out.

Out from one of the hanger panels 8 is a tongue 25 defined by out line 26 and bendable about a fold line 21. A slot or slit 28 is provided in the other hanger panel 8 in position to receive the tongue 25 when the blank is set up to form a carrier. The tongue 25 is provided with a plurality of finger holes 30 adapted to register with similar finger holes 3| in the other hanger panel 9 when the carrier is set up and the tongue 25 extended through the slit 28.

The carrier is set up as follows:

The blank I is bent along fold lines 5, 6 and I so that the side panels 10 stand up from the bottom II, the top panels 9 extend angularly upwardly in converging relation from the tops of the sides I0 and the hanger panels 8 are in abutment over their faces. The tongue is extended through the slit 28 thereby to secure the hanger panels in touching relation and to retain the sides I0 and top walls 9 in set up position, as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3. The carrier is then in condition for use.

A bottle is inserted in one of the perforations IS, the bottle being first inclined so that its major axis is approximately perpendicular to the top wall 9 and then, as the bottle enters the perforation l5, it is rocked into a position perpendicular to the bottom H. The perforation IS in the top wall 9 is suitably shaped so that it is large enough topermit convenient insertion of the bottle but, when the. bottle is in upright position, engages the bottle with sufficient pressure to prevent displacement or rattlingof the bottle.

The tongue I1, corresponding to the socket I5 in which the bottle is inserted, is engaged over the neck of the bottle thereby to securely retain the bottle against displacement.

Other bottles are inserted in any of the vacant seats in a like manner. Preferably, the bottles are disposed evenly on opposite sides of the carrier so far as possible so that the carrier is balanced. Preferably, the carrier is entirely filled and in such case is balanced both longitudinally and transversely. When the carrier portion is set up and the handle portions are abutting, they lie substantially in the longitudinal medial plane of the carrier and thus the force exerted on the carrier when the latter is lifted is centered relative to the load and the carrier.

It will be noted that when the bottles are inserted in the carrier, the hanger portions extend between the bottles throughout portions of their height and thereby serve as a separator and to prevent contact between the bottles. It will also be noted that when the carrier with one or more bottles therein is raised, there is a tendency for the side Walls to straighten out and for the hanger panels to separate at their lower edges. This causes the rims of the perforations I5 to exert a gripping action on the sides of the bottles which firmly holds the bottles in the carrier.

While in the present application a carrier adapted to receive six bottles has been shown, for the purposes of illustration, the invention can readily be adapted to the construction of a carrier for a greater or lesser number of bottles. Preferably, however, it is desirable to de sign the carrier for the reception of an even number of bottles in order that the load may be balanced.

The invention provides a carrier which can be constructed from a simple one piece blank capable of being formed by automatic cutting and scoring apparatus. There is no assembly operation required other than inserting the tongue 25 in the slit 28, and the setting up may be carried out without the use of stitching, pasting or other operations requiring apparatus or materials.

The side wall I0 and the top wall 9 are so arranged that the greater portion of the bottle side is exposed. The cap also is exposed. Therefore, the bottle label or marking, as well as the cap marking, are fully exposed, and thus the carrier is admirably suited for display purposes. There is also sufficient surface area on the carrier, as for example, the side wall Hi, to

permit advertising matter to be carried thereon.

It will be noted that the carrier does not consume substantially greater space than the bottles themselves and thus the assembled carrier and bottles can be displayed on counters or shelves without requiring an undesirable amount of space.

The carrier is so constructed that it is selfretained in set up .position and thus th bottles can be readily inserted therein. Furthermore, where it is desirable to dispense a smaller number of bottles than is required to completely fill the carrier, the carrier can be displayed on the counter and the bottles abstracted therefrom without substantial. detriment to the attractive appearance of the assemblage.

While cerain novel features of the invention have' been disclosed and are pointed out in the annexed claim, it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions and changes may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

A collapsible bottle carrier comprising a one piece blank adapted to be folded into a container to accommodate two rows of bottles therein and having a bottom, two lower side wall sections, two intermediate side wall sections, and a handle section, said lower side wall sections being hingedly connected to said bottom, said intermediate side wall sections being hingedly connected at their lower edges to the lower side wall sections and at their upper edges to the handle section so that'when said carrier is in its erected condition said intermediate side walls will be disposed each at an angle to said lower side wall sections and to the handle section, said intermediate side wall sections having bottle receiving openings formed therein, said lower side wall sections in the region of the center bottles being so low as to expose the lower body portions of said center bottles when they are in position in the carrier, said handle section having means formed by cut .out portions thereof for engaging the necks of said center bottles to cooperate with said low wall portions in holding said center bottles, and said handle section also having a finger gripping opening formed therein.

GEORGE W. BOH. 

